The United States Attorney's Office says a man transporting more than 33 pounds of fentanyl was arrested in Nebraska

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Updated: 6:01 AM EDT Oct 13, 2017

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WEBVTT NEWSWATCH 7'S CAMILA ORTI HASTHE BIG STORY AT 6:00 PUTTING ITALL IN PERSPECTIVE CAMILA?CAMILA: JULIE WE'VE REPORTED ONTHIS DRUG BEFORE.EXPERTS SAY COMING INTO CONTACTWITH JUST A FEW MILLIGRAMS COULDBE LETHAL, SO IMAGINE THE POWER OF ALLTHIS, A PHOTO OF THE DRUGSSEIZED HERE AT THE AMTRAKSTATION WEDNESDAY.INVESTIGATORS STOPPED A MANCARRYING MORE THAN THIRTY POUNDSOF FENTANYL IN A SUITCASE.ENOUGH POTENTIALLY DEADLY DOSESFOR ALMOST EVERY PERSON INNEBRASKA AND IOWA COMBINED.JUST BEFORE 9:00 A.M.WEDNESDAY, THE AMTRAK TRAINPULLS UP TO THE STATION ON SOUTH9TH STREET, ROUTINE, JUST LIKETHE SURVEILLANCE CHECKS BEINGDONE BY TWO UNDERCOVER OFFICERS,>> WE HAVE OFFICERS THAT ARETRAINED TO PICK OUT PEOPLE THATARE DIFFERENT THAN THE NORMALTRAVELING PUBLIC.>> THEY PICKED OUT THIS MAN,27-YEAR-OLD EDGARNAVARRO-AGUIRRE, WHO OFFICIALSSAY WAS CARRYING 33-POUNDS OFPURE FENTANYL IN A SUITCASE, THEMOST FENTANYL NEBRASKAAUTHORITIES HAVE COME ACROSS ATONCE, EVER.>> I THINK IT WAS LITERALLY ONEMISHAP AWAY FROM SOMETHINGEXTREMELY TRAGIC FOR NEBRASKA.>> THAT'S BECAUSE THE OPIOID ISABOUT 50 TIMES MORE POTENT THANHEROIN, AND CAN BE DEADLY TO THETOUCH.EXPERTS SAY IT ONLY TAKES ABOUT3 MILLIGRAMS, PICTURED HERE,THAT MEANS THE 33 POUNDS THEOFFICERS FOUND, WOULD BE ENOUGHLETHAL DOSES, FOR 4.9 MILLIONPEOPLE.>> THIS IS PLAYING RUSSIANROULETTE KNOWING EVERY CYLINDERHAS A BULLET IN IT.>> DEA AGENT IN CHARGE MATTBARDEN SAYS THIS ONLY SOLIDIFIESWHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIESHAVE ALREADY KNOWN, THE DANGERSAND POPULARITY OF THIS OPIOID,ARE ONLY GROWING.>> WORST EPIDEMIC THAT I CANASSURE YOU ANY OF US HAVE SEENIN OUR LIFETIMES.>> STATE TROOPERS AND DEAAGENTS, PROUD THEY PUT A STOP TOTHIS SHIPMENT, BELIEVED TO TOHAVE BEEN HEADING TO THE EASTCOAST. AND ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC, TO BEVIGILANT.>> WE ALL NEED TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES,WE ALL NEED TO SPEAK UP ANDSPEAK OUT. >> THE DEA SAYS THE DRUGS SEIZEDIN THIS CASE HAD A STREET VALUEOF ABOUT $15 MILLION.AS FOR THE CHARGES AGAINSTNAVARRO, THEY CARRY A MANDATORYMINIMUM OF 10 YEARS, AND AMAXIMUM OF LIFE IN PRISON.HE'S EXPECTED IN FEDERAL COURTTOMORROW.JULIE: CAMILA, I WANT TO GETBACK TO WHAT THEY SAID ABOUTTHIS INVESTIGATION, THAT IT WASROUTINE SURVEILLANCE?>> INVESTIGATORS STRESSED TEAMWORK, DAY IN.DAY OUT OPERATIONS, LAW

Authorities make one of country's largest fentanyl seizures

The United States Attorney's Office says a man transporting more than 33 pounds of fentanyl was arrested in Nebraska

Acting United States Attorney for the District of Nebraska says an interdiction operation in Omaha has resulted in one of the largest fentanyl seizures the country has ever seen.

Authorities said Edgar Navarro-Aguirre, 27, of California, was arrested Wednesday. He is accused of transporting more than 15 kilos, or 33 pounds, of the dangerous drug.

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Navarro-Aguirre was traveling on the Amtrak train and waiting at the station when a Drug Enforcement Administration agent was doing a routine surveillance there and noticed a suspicious person with a bag.

"We have officers that are trained to pick out people that are different than the normal traveling public," Nebraska State Patrol Lt. Jason Scott said.

According to an affidavit, Navarro-Aguirre said it was his friend's bag, and he denied that anything illegal was inside.

"This fentanyl seizure is the largest ever in Nebraska and one of the largest in the nation," a news released from the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Fentanyl is an opioid drug 40 to 50 times more potent than heroin. Local experts say it only takes a small amount, about 3 milligrams, for the drug to be fatal.

"This is playing Russian Roulette knowing every cylinder has a bullet in it," DEA Associate Special Agent in Charge Matt Barden said.

With that in mind, the amount seized by authorities in its pure form would be enough to kill approximately 4.9 million people, or nearly the entire populations of Iowa and Nebraska.

"I think it was literally one mishap away from something extremely tragic for Nebraska," Lt. Scott said, "dropping a suitcase or it being cut open, this is in a public venue, this was not in a private room."

Barden says the current drug epidemic in the United States is the worst anyone has seen. He's urging families to be aware of fentanyl, and to be vigilant.

"We all need to be on the look out for suspicious activities, we all need to speak up and speak out," Barden said.

Navarro-Aguirre is facing a charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl. The penalty carries a minimum of 10 years with a maximum of life in prison.

The 27-year-old will appear in federal court Friday afternoon.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says the case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nebraska State Patrol.